Cold
by Petchricor
Summary: Peter nearly freezes to death while stranded on an ice planet. Lying in the snow and waiting to die Peter hears someone calling out to him, but he must be hearing things. Right?


**And another one. Please send help. I can't stop DX Anyway, enjoy~  
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Peter didn't know what to think other than the fact that it was so cold and he couldn't see a thing. It was an ice planet and they had been warned about blizzards but that didn't make the situation any better and it wasn't like he had gone out into the middle of nowhere on purpose. His arms were stiff around his chest as he wavered in every direction the wind pushed him, his muscles too weak to fight against it anymore. So, was this how he was going to go out, caught in the middle of a snow storm? He didn't know why he was surprised. Peter's foot caught on something and he fell forward into the snow, the window blowing over him as he curled up there, unable to force himself back up onto his feet again. He listened to the wind as it howled over him and as the snow landed on and around him, covering him in it. Soon, you wouldn't be able to see him. Peter sighed.

He laid there, after awhile he had stopped flinching when the snow touched his face and his eyes started to droop. Maybe it would be easier if he slept. Peter was about to close his eyes when he heard a sound amongst the loud wind, but he couldn't quite make it out. Someone was, shouting? Is that what it was? Peter tried to get his muscles to move, to lift his head or to turn it or anything, just so he could see if he was going crazy. His head shifted but he couldn't see through the snow. More yelling, closer now. Peter tried to yell back but his throat refused to make a sound. He blinked slowly and tried to force his eyes to stay open.

"Quill?!" Peter knew he wasn't imagining it, someone was calling out to him. Peter forced himself to try and stand, wincing when his right leg shot a pain up through his body. He fell back over into the snow and cursed silently. "Quill?" Peter did his best to shift and he saw someone standing there, he tried to say something but only a soft groan left his mouth. "Quill!" They ran over on all fours. Rocket. "Oh my god!" Rocket stopped in front of him, his fur helping keep out the cold. "Come on man, you gotta get up." Peter tried to but his leg shot up another pain and he fell over. "I know it hurts but you have to get up! You can't just die out here man! Come on!"

"'m trying," Peter mumbled, pushing himself up on his hands and forcing himself to stand. He nearly toppled over again but he forced himself to stay upright. His leg stung like a bitch though.

"That's right," Rocket snapped at him as he climbed up onto his shoulder, curling up around his neck to try and help keep him warm. "Come on now, it's that way." Peter headed in the direction Rocket had pointed, stumbling and wavering the whole way. Rocket had to redirect him from time to time but Peter managed to keep going, panting heavily and limping from his leg. "Atta boy, atta boy, keep it up and maybe I'll stop taking apart your ship." Peter grunted and kept walking. Rocket redirected him again and Peter took a deep breath, feeling himself start to weaken again.

"Can't," he mumbled, slowing almost to a complete stop. Rocket tightened around him firmly, not enough to hurt or choke though.

"You have to! Come on, we're almost there. Just a few more steps!" Peter nodded and walked a little farther, then started to slow down again. "Come on, just a few more. You can do it." Peter nodded and walked, his feet nearly tripping over each other. He started to slow again, mumbling things. "Just a few more steps Quill, just a few more. You can do it, come on." Peter nodded again and continued to walk, keeping his feet going one in front of the other. "That's it, that's it. Just a little farther, you can make it." Peter started to see a structure come into view. "See? What I tell ya? Just a little farther Peter, just a little bit more."

"Oh, kay," Peter mumbled and kept walking. When they were almost there Rocket lept off his shoulders and opened the door, ushering Peter inside. When the door shut Peter fell to his knees on the ground, panting and shivering terribly. Peter heard shouting, combat boots pounding against the floor as people ran over. He fell over, looking up at the ceiling as he was lifted off the floor.

"Hang in there!" Peter nodded could see Rocket trotted alongside him on all fours, worry painted all over his face. Peter rolled his head over and faded into the darkness of unconsciousness.

AΩ

He was warmer now. He also noted that he wasn't dead or freezing. Out of all of him, though, his chest was the warmest. Peter opened his eyes slowly, wincing in preparation for the bright light that didn't come. He was in his own room on the Milano, dim lighting, small space and all. His clothes were lying on his dresser, clean and folded, along with his other stuff and his boots stood on the floor.

Peter turned his head around and his gaze fell onto his chest, where he found Rocket was lying. Well, that explained why his chest was so warm. However, Peter couldn't quite figure out why he was even there, and lying on him no less. Rocket shifted and stretched out, his black eyes opening tiredly as he yawned. Peter stifled a laugh, he looked funny when he yawned, like a small dog. Rocket looked over at him and the two stared at each other for a long moment.

"The doctors weren't sure if you'd make it there for awhile, said you'd been out in the cold too long and that your vital organs might not warm up fast enough, or something like that. Basically, I'm here to help you warm up jackass, so stop looking at me like I'm crazy," Rocket told him. Peter chuckled. "Also, you were out for almost twenty-four hours." Rocket hopped onto the floor and stretched.

"Thanks, I think," Peter muttered as he sat up, stretching himself. Rocket grumbled and glared over his shoulder. "On a more serious note, though, why did you come after me?" Rocket raised a brow. "I mean, why did _you_ come after me? I'd expect that from Gamora or Groot, Drax even, but not you."

"They did," Rocket said in a slightly harsh tone. "Each came back saying that it was impossible in this storm and that you were good as dead anyway." Peter blinked. Rocket sounded...angry, really angry in fact. "I told 'em that you were too crazy to die in a storm. So, I went after ya and wasn't such a whiny bitch to stop after five freakin' minutes. So, here we are. You're welcome." Peter watched as Rocket stood and headed for the door.

"Thank you." Rocket stopped at the sincerity in Peter's voice. He hesitated but turned, scanning Peter's face only to find a soft smile. "Really, Rocket, thank you." After a moment Rocket grunted and opened the door.

"Get dressed," he rumbled and walked out the door. Peter got up and did as instructed, looking his stuff over to make sure it hadn't been tampered with before putting it in its place. There was still a chill in his bones but Peter figured that might take awhile to get rid of and shrugged it off. He pulled his jacket on last and walked out. "At least I actually looked!" Peter froze and listened. "You looked for five minutes and gave up! Groot has an excuse, he's a tree, he can't even last five minutes in that weather, let alone look for someone that long. But you two should have been fine!"

"What exactly are you saying, Rocket?" Gamora snapped, defensiveness covering her voice.

"I'm saying, don't call yourselves his friends then turn your back on him like that! It's despicable, even for you! I know he's a jerk but he would stick his neck out for any one of us if we needed him too. I know it, and you know it," Rocket snapped back at her. Silence. "Well?!"

"You're right," Drax rumbled, his voice downcast. "He wouldn't have stopped looking if it had been one of us in that storm and it's despicable for me to do otherwise. I wont be making this mistake again." Gamora sighed heavily.

"I'm with Drax," she said firmly. "You're right and it wont happen again. But why the hell do you care? You're not exactly buddy-buddy with him." Rocket huffed.

"Yeah, so what? Just because I'm not a little ray of sunshine and don't go around throwing love at everyone I meet doesn't mean I don't care! And don't you _ever_ suggest I don't ever again." More silence and Peter stared at the wall in silence, taking it in. Again, Rocket surprised him by standing up for him like that, something he never thought he'd hear.

"I am Groot?"

"No idea. Should I look?" Rocket responded. Peter took the cue and walked into the kitchen, straightening his watch idly.

"Look for what?" he asked and looked up at them all innocently.

"For you jackass, what took you so long?" Rocket snapped, glaring at him. Peter glared back.

"I nearly froze to death! My joints are stiff," he retorted. Rocket grunted and turned away as Peter sat down. "Geez, you just can't give me a break can you? Always picking on me."

"Oh, don't be such a runt. You're a big boy, act like it," Rocket said while rolling his eyes. "And don't ever do that again. I nearly got frostbite lookin' for you." Peter grunted and Rocket glared. "Why didn't I let you freeze?"

"Because I'm awesome," Peter said it like it was obviously. Rocket rolled his eyes in a big circle and shook his head. "But more likely because you love me." Rocket looked at Peter like he was crazy. "Because I'm awesome."

"I will claw your eyes out if you ever say something like that again," Rocket said blandly and they two shared a gaze before grunting and looking away. "Asshole."

"Raccoon."

"I AM NOT A RACCOON!" Everyone jumped and stared at Rocket. "And don't you ever call me that again!" Rocket grabbed his mechanism and stormed off. Peter sighed and got up, walking after him. "Don't you follow me, this isn't a drama show." Peter rolled his eyes.

"Would you stop?" Rocket growled and stopped walking, but he didn't turn. "I'm sorry, really, I am. You're not a raccoon or vermin or anything like that. Nothing's as badass as you are." A short silence were Rocket mulled it over before turning around.

"Really?" Peter nodded.

"Yeah, really. You're still a jerk though."

"Tough. You'll live," Rocket snapped at him and Peter smirked. "Seriously, no more snow storms, all right?"

"No thanks, I'm good. Cold as hell."

"Hell is hot."

"Ever heard of Michigan?"

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**And that's a wrap!  
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**Thanks for reading, please review and have a bow chicka bow wow day~**

**Petchricor, QotG, signing off ;)**


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